"Hey buddy," James gives his dignified head a little pat before untying the letter around his leg. Hoot shuffles forward staring very pointedly at the plate of cold cuts in the middle of the table. James laughs.
"Not exactly subtle are you?" he swears Hoot glares at him. "Alright, alright, no jokes before treats. Got it." James tosses him a piece of ham and with the contented flutter of his wings Hoot catches it and flies off.
"Who's the letter from?" Peter asks, as James slides his hand under the wax seal.
"Mum," he says without looking up. He wrote to her the morning after he talked to Lily in the courtyard. It's about the only useful thing he's managed to do recently.
Dear chicken,
His mother writes.
Glad to hear you're doing well and that Quidditch is back on track - I promise me and your father will make it up for your final match (which, if I'm not mistaken, is shaping up to be against Slytherin again is it not?) we've both just been a bit slammed with work recently.
Anyway - Lily Evans, huh? Goodness, that's a name I haven't heard in a while. I must tell you, Jamie darling, I am rather thrilled to learn that the two of you have become friends. You were always so obsessed with the girl, it seemed a shame you two could never get along.
About your request - of course it is absolutely ridiculous that Muggle-born families don't have access to the Floo. I've talked to some of our friends at the Ministry and Dumbledore as well, I expect she'll hear from him before the week is out. If not, let me know and I'll march up to the school and sort it myself.
I love you very, very much.
Sincerely, her majesty,
Your mum.
James smiles down at the letter, "Brilliant," he murmurs, before folding it up and sliding it into his pocket. He really does love his mum.
He shoves a piece of toast in his mouth before throwing his bag over his shoulder and getting to his feet. "I'll see you in class alright Pete? I gotta go talk to Evans."
Peter looks vaguely surprised but doesn't question him. "Yeah alright. See y'ah."
It's only the two of them at breakfast today, Remus having already come and gone, bringing Sirius his food. James thinks it's starting to wear on Remus a little bit, spending so much time in the shack. But he's not sure that criticizing the location of Sirius's self-imposed exile is going to go over well with either of them at the moment.
"Hey guys," James joins the sixth year girls a little ways down the table from where him and Pete had been sitting. They all look up briefly, Mary giving him a vague nod and Marlene a wave before they go back to whatever it is they were talking about.
"Are you abandoning Peter then?" Lily asks, looking slightly amused as she scoots over to make room for him.
He smiles, shaking his head. "Nah, never. Just wondered if maybe I could talk to you before class?" he nods in the direction of the doors, not missing the significant looks that Marlene and Mary send him across the table.
Lily looks surprised for about a minute before she recovers. "Uh—yeah, yeah sure. Of course." She grabs her stuff and slides out from under the table. "See you lot later yeah?" she tosses over her shoulder.
"You two have fun," Mary says in a sing-song voice. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"
Lily gives her a flat look at the same time that Marlene shakes her head, hissing under her breath; "Merlin Mary, really?"
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Start from the beginning
